DIY & Crafts

21 DIY Sharpie Mug Gift Ideas! The Ultimate Guide to Sharpie Mugs

You don’t have to break the bank to give a gift with a personal touch. Be it for a birthday, wedding, anniversary or any other special occasion, these 21 DIY Sharpie Mugs have got you covered!

You may not believe it, but cast your doubts away as this article shows you how to create and give the perfect gift using just a Sharpie, a mug and your creativity!

21 DIY SHARPIE MUG GIFT IDEAS AND A STEP BY STEP TUTORIAL:

Creating the perfect gift using these DIY Sharpie mug ideas is not hard. All you need, apart from some creativity, are these materials which can be found in the comfort of your home!

cheap ceramic or porcelain mugs — for these DIY Sharpie mugs, the more inexpensive the mug is the better the result will be!

Sharpie Paint Pens –make sure these are oil based since regular Sharpies won’t work! Any color will be visible so do not be afraid to experiment and play with combinations!

Rubbing Alcohol –for cleaning purposes!

Q-tips or Cotton balls

Oven

The following materials are optional and will depend on what you are making your DIY Sharpie mug for. In this case, let’s say that this is for some friends who just got engaged!

Bling Wipes –perfect to keep the ring at its shiniest!

Bag of coffee that fits inside the mug –because who doesn’t love coffee?!

Ribbons –to make the DIY Sharpie mug even more adorable!

Friendly Tip:

Cheaper or inexpensive coffee mugs work best! The glaze or protective layer on the outside of the mug makes it easier for the paint pen to stick once it is baked, compared to expensive porcelain. This is because Sharpies are not really made to stick on expensively glazed mugs. But if you really want to use an expensive porcelain mug, make sure to use genuine porcelain paint pens.

Now that you have gathered all of the materials, lets start creating your DIY Sharpie mug!

STEP 1: Clean your DIY Sharpie mug!

Before anything else, make sure you have removed all price stickers and any kind of markings.

Leaving any dirt or marks will result in unsightly burns and smudges once the mug has been baked. So, using your rubbing alcohol, clean your mug thoroughly.

Cleanliness is the key to the success of your DIY Sharpie mug!

STEP 2: Work with your design!

Start working with the design you want to put on your DIY Sharpie mug! Choose a design taken from the internet, write your own message or even come up with a unique design! Just keep in mind that only Sharpie Paint Pens stick to mugs, as regular Sharpies will not effectively stick to the pottery.

Friendly Tip:

Made a mistake while designing your mug? Don’t worry! Simply use your rubbing alcohol to erase any mistakes you have made, making sure to erase ALL excess paint. This is to make sure that the design will not have any smudges once it is baked.

You may also scratch the paint off with your nails or, if available, a needle or erase minor errors with q-tips or cotton balls dipped in rubbing alcohol.

ALSO:

DO NOT BE AFRAID TO PLAY AND EXPERIMENT WITH COLORS! Feel free to use ANY Sharpie Paint Pen color that you want as they will all show up on your mug! Yes, even light or neon colors! These colors tend to get darker after baking.

Already satisfied with your DIY Sharpie mug? Ensure that your mug is completely clean and you have removed all excess paint markings off your mug.

STEP 3: Dry your DIY Sharpie mug for 72 hours!

Everything that is worth having is worth waiting for! And that is exactly what you will be doing now that you are done and completely satisfied with the design of your DIY Sharpie mug. The next step is to wait for 72 hours for the paint to fully dry on your mug before you can start baking. Letting the design sit on your DIY Sharpie mug for 72 hours ensures proper and intact adhesion.

STEP 4: Bake your DIY Sharpie mug!

Congratulations! 72 hours have passed and your DIY Sharpie mug should be more than ready to be baked! To start, place your mug inside a cold oven then turn the temperature of your oven to 425* and set the timer for 1 hour.

After 1 hour, turn off your oven but do not take the mug out or touch it! Instead, let the mug cool completely inside the oven.

Top tip: bake your mug at night so you will be able to leave it to cool down overnigh and it will be ready for you in the morning.

Reminder:

Do not touch your mug until it is completely cold. Touching your mug while it is still hot is not only dangerous for your skin, but may also distort the paint.

STEP 5: Wash your DIY Sharpie mug

Now that the mug has cooled down, it is safe to be taken out and handled! At this stage, you need not be afraid of washing your mug because the design is fully adhered to the mug. As long as you hand-wash it with liquid soap, you will not destroy the design you have worked so hard for!

Here is how your DIY engagement gift using mug and sharpie should look so far. A job well done, isn’t it?!

Noticed that the shade of Pink changes after baking, so the bright and vibrant neon pink hue turned into a softer but darker shade. Colored paints will turn darker once baked.

Reminder:

When experimenting with colors, remember that the color of your mug plus the color of your paint will determine the success of your DIY Sharpie mug!

STEP 6: Glam up your DIY Sharpie mug

I know your friend will be more than ecstatic to receive the DIY Sharpie mug you have worked hard for, but lets take your DIY Sharpie mug to the next level. You may now choose to add other items to give in addition to your DIY Sharpie mug!

In this example, we have chosen to include Bling wipes and a bag of coffee inside the DIY Sharpie mug for that perfect engagement gift.

Optional:

Tie a cute ribbon around the mug holder! Adding ribbons to your mug gives it additional glamour and makes your gift even more adorable.

FINAL PRODUCT: The perfect gift – DIY SHARPIE MUG

Doesn’t it look amazingly beautiful and fabulous? All made possible with mugs, sharpies, creativity and, of course, patience!

This DIY Sharpie mug gift is not only fun to read and look at, but it’s also a lot of fun to do in real life! Just don’t be afraid to play with colors and experiment with the designs in your head. This idea is not only suitable for engaged women but can be gifted to anybody for any occasion! So what are you waiting for? Pick out your mug and Sharpies and start creating your perfect gift!

Here’s another 20 DIY Sharpie mug gift ideas to try!

[1] WRITE SWEET NOTHINGS ON YOUR DIY SHARPIE MUG!

Writing and sending love letters filled with sweet nothings and sentimental messages is no longer the done thing, but that does not mean that you have to stop expressing what your heart wants to say. Unleash the hopeless romantic in you, and create a sharpie mug that expresses your heart’s desire and makes your lover’s heart melt.

[2] DAZZLE WITH A STARRY DIY SHARPIE MUG!

Let your loved ones know that they are the stars guiding your way – paint your mugs with stars using oil based sharpies! You do not have to be Picasso nor Van Gogh to successfully pull this project off. All you need is a good choice of color for your sharpies, and a pattern of your choice.

[3] PERSONALIZE YOUR DIY SHARPIE MUG WITH A MONOGRAM!

There is no simpler way to make the world know that a certain item is yours than placing your name or initials on it. This even applies to customizing your own mug. Still using your oil-based Sharpies, choose some complementary colours to embellish your friend’s initials on the mug!

[4] PRINT AN INSPIRATIONAL QUOTE ON YOUR DIY SHARPIE MUG!

Do you want to create a customized mug to give to your friends but are hesitant because of your handwriting? Worry no more, because this do-it-yourself project is for you! Simply print your chosen inspirational quote and trace it on your mug using a pencil. Once the design has been transferred on the mug, shade it using your chosen Sharpies. The result is sure to charm your friend and leave her in awe!

[5] DRAW PATTERNS ON YOUR DIY SHARPIE MUG!

Your Sharpie-fied mug does not have to be complicated. Work with your creativity and play with your imagination to draw cute patterns on your mug and make an adorable gift that your friend is sure to love!

[6] MAKE YOUR FRIEND SMILE WITH A FUNNY DIY SHARPIE MUG!

[7] LABEL YOUR DIY SHARPIE MUG WITH DRAWINGS!

Still looking for a valentine’s gift? Why don’t you give this personalized mug to your partner?! Paint a label that best symbolizes your relationship on the mug. This project is simple and easy to create for your married friend or for your own anniversary. You can also tweak this sharpie mug project and create mugs with labels for everyone in your family as well.

[8] EMBELLISH YOUR DIY SHARPIE MUG WITH YOUR FAVORITE CHARACTER!

This is a sharpie mug project that is not only a good idea for your friend, but you can also potentially start a business with it. Using your oil based sharpies, draw your friend’s most beloved fictional character on a mug. Morning coffees will never be the same anymore, and your friend is sure to thank you for this adorable gift.

Not all that glitters is gold -sometimes its just a sharpie-fied mug! Using a golden glittery oil-based sharpies, paint beautiful geometric patterns on your mug – a simple trick that will transform your plain white mug into a stunning one, making it look as if you had bought it fresh from a store.

[10] MIX AND MATCH PATTERNS AND COLORS ON YOUR DIY SHARPIE MUG!

Don’t be afraid to experiment and play with colors! Take these sharpie-fied mugs pictured above, for example. Who would have thought that a sky pastel color blended so well with tans and greens? Take risks and be rewarded with the stunning result!

[11] USE BOTTLES TO STENCIL YOUR DIY SHARPIE MUG!

Create a unique and beautiful design on your mugs by using bottle caps! To accentuate the design, opt for a golden hued oil-based sharpie. Looking at the pictures of the sharpi-fied mug above, the result sure looks like a mug belonging to royalty.

[12] USE BLACK MUGS TO PLAY SHARPIES WITH!

Plain white mugs are not the only type of mugs you can play sharpies with. Choose a black colored mug to decorate! But be careful in choosing the colors of your sharpies to make sure that the color stands out on a black mug. Make use of golden or silver hued oil-based sharpies like the one pictured above.

[13] LABEL YOUR DIY SHARPIE MUG WITH FUNNY MEASUREMENTS!

Are you the type of person who shoudn’t be approached before their first cup of coffee? Why don’t you let people know when is the right time to disturb your mornings by labeling your mug with playful and humorous measurements? Your friends are sure to love you for this adorable and practical gift!

[15] FILL YOUR DIY SHARPIE MUG WITH POLKA DOTS!

Polka dots can be seen decorating anything and everything, for a reason! They look cool and are easy to personalise. Take them to the next level by using different colored sharpies. The pop of color is sure to brighten your mornings as you drink your first cup of coffee.

[16] CREATE MATCHING DIY SHARPIE MUGS!

Matching coffee mugs sure is a cheesy gift to give to your special someone. But still, the thought of having someone to have a pair of matching coffee mugs with is enough to bring a smile to my face at least!

[17] MAKE A FLOWER POWER DIY SHARPIE MUG!

Floral embellishments sure are a timeless pattern for decoration, so this conventional trick may be simple but will definitely upgrade your plain white mug to the next level. Plus, the adorable floral decor adds a chic touch to your coffee.

[18] MAKE A FATHER’S DAY GIFT WITH DIY SHARPIE MUGS!

Surprise your husband with a sentimental Father’s Day gift. Let your kids play with sharpies and mugs to write their very own Father’s Day message, for example the initials of their father, or simply the letter D for daddy. Allow their creativity to take over and, whatever the end result, their father is sure to love it. This gift idea will also work for Mother’s Day!

Motivate your friends to achieve their goals and dreams by embedding your inspirational message in a mug! Drinking their morning coffee from this mug is sure to give them the push they need to achieve overcome any challenges.